Children across England can travel for free on most local bus services throughout August. The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that the initiative means most under-16s will not be required to pay for their journeys.
This scheme is designed to alleviate financial pressures on families during the school summer holidays. Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander stated earlier this year that the government is "cutting the cost of the day-to-day, with free bus travel for children this summer."
The DfT highlighted several popular sites accessible via the free travel scheme, including York Dungeon, Windsor Castle, and the National Space Centre in Leicester. Children under five years old already receive free bus travel, while those aged five to 15 typically pay between £1 and £2 for bus fares.
This measure is part of wider government efforts to ease cost-of-living burdens during the summer holidays, which also include the "Great British Summer Savings" scheme. This scheme has cut VAT on items such as children’s meals, theatre and cinema tickets, and family attractions like theme parks.